Why You Should Wear Motorcycle Gloves
The Importance of Wearing Motorcycle Gloves. I know gear can be a controversial topic. If you don’t believe in wearing gloves that’s your choice. The purpose of this post and video is to simply share why I wear them.
Comfort
Wearing motorcycle gloves increases your level of comfort while riding. Motorcycle gloves absorb much of the vibration that can be felt in the hands while riding. Gloves help prevent the numbing and tingling many riders experience, especially on longer rides. Gloves provide added comfort by protecting your hands from becoming dry and calloused. If you work with your hands that can be especially important.
Gloves actually keep my hands cooler in the hot months and warm in the cold months. No need to explain how the help when it’s cold out. However, in the summer months, a good pair of well-ventilated summer gloves will keep your hands cooler. Gloves cover the skin preventing the sun from beating down on the skin. Summer gloves are ventilated and allow a ‘breeze’ to go through the fabric as the bike is moving. This flow of air keeps the skin cooled off.
Safety
Gloves give you a better grip on your handlebar grips. Gloves decrease muscle and hand fatigue allowing you to focus more and ride safer.
Many riders after riding will notice a numb or tingling feeling. This is not only uncomfortable, but it can also be dangerous. You need to be able to feel your hands in order to operate your bike correctly. Gloves with padded palms not only protect your hands in a fall, but they can also help keep the feeling in your hands and shelter them against the vibrations from the bike.
Grip is another safety feature that gloves offer, even in the heat of the summer. When your hands are sweaty from the heat, your grip can slip. We all know that isn’t good! Most gloves have leather or silicone palms that ensure a secure grip.
Protection
None of us wants to think about falling or crashing but if/when it happens you want to be protected. Think about it, what’s the first thing we do when we think we’re about to fall, be put our hands out. Your bodies natural instinct is to brace itself and try to lessen the impact. So there you are, falling toward the pavement, hands out at even 35mph you’re going to damage some skin without gloves on.
Protection from sunburns is another benefit to wearing gloves. Sunscreen is great but having your body parts covered is even better.
Bugs and road debris deflection. Yes, protection from bugs and road grime. Have you ever felt a grasshopper slam into your hand going 70mph? It sucks!
Style
I think an added benefit to wearing gloves is the style aspect. There are so many styles available for men and woman. The gloves in this video are the Speed and Strength Cross My Heart Gloves from Get Lowered Cycles.
Did I miss anything? Do you wear gloves when you ride? Let me know in the comments section.
When wearing bike gloves, the cushions in the palms act as shock absorbers, helping to dampen some of the energy being transmitted up from the bike before it gets into your body.